The Hamas government on Tuesday ordered all communication companies in the Gaza Strip to stop working with Israeli companies, citing moral, economic, and security concerns.

Hamas's Communications Ministry announced that local companies must refrain from cooperating with Israeli Internet providers and mobile phone companies "in a bid to protect our society from the dangers of pornographic websites online and on mobile phones."

The ministry also claimed it wanted to protect local companies from "unfairÂ competition" presented by Israeli service providers.

Kamal Masri, the ministry's director of licensing, explained that many citizens have complained of Israeli companies trying to advertise their services through local mobile phone shops "both officially and unofficially."

Masri added that such services could be pernicious to Palestinians "in the current security situation."

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